The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-15
FACTS ABOUT CANCER.
It's Causes. and What is Done for It.
Increase in England and Here.

Increase in England and Here.
From the Net0 York Sun.
1t seems TO be admitted now by all the
surgeons who have been consulted in the
case of the Crown Prince of Russia, that
the hero of Sadowa, Weissenburg, and
Worth is suffering from cancer of the
larynx, disease for which there is small
chance of cure by operation. In this coun-
try cancer has attracted Misrepresentation
tion during the last few years on account of
the number of prominent men who have
fallen victims to it. The late Senator Hill
OF Georgia, Gen. Grant, John Roach, and
several others of note have died of this pain
full malady
Cancer is pre-eminently disease of the
white race, and apparently of representa-
tlves of an advanced degree of civilization.
1t is rare in the colored races. Among the
negroes in the South, before emancipation,
1t was externally infrequent. Some practi-
TONERS of large experience had never seen a
case IN the negro before the late war. Dur
ing the last ten years, however, a number
have been observed. 1t is three times as
frequent in women as in men. 1t is a
disease of advanced life, over two-thirds of
the cases occurring after the fortieth year.
1t is hereditary in about one-fourth of the
cases. 1t often occurs. however, as a con-
sequence of injury or protracted infamma-
ton in cases where no hereditary influence
exists.
Any organ or part of the body may be
attacked by cancer. 1t is most frequent i'll
the female breast, uterus, the stomach,
liver, lips, and tongue, but it is also found in
the BRAIN and spinal cords in bones, and, in
rare cases, even in the heart. Cancer is UNI
doubleday becoming more frequent. In
England the rate of Increase of deaths of
cancer per million of inhabitants was 81
per cent. from 1861 to 1884 During the ten
years ending 1879 the total number of deaths
from cancer in England and Wales was ILL.,
300, an average of over II 600 per year. The
ratio of increase in this country seems to
be even greater than abroad. The high
pressure under which people live at present
seems to have something to do with this
increase. The statistics of the last census
show that cancer is much more prevalent in
the Northern and Eastern States than in
the South and West. Surgeons are begin
ming to attribute to depressed conditions of
the nervous system large share in the
causation of cancer. In the cases of
Gen. Grant and Mr.. Roach, the outbreak
of the disease seemed to follow closely
upon business troubles which came upon
them.
Smoking is popularity credited with the
production of cancer of the lips and tongue,
and there seems good reason to accept this
as cause. Women, who are so frequently
subject to cancer rarely suffer with the
disease as it affects the lips and tongue
1t is said that in some parts of Brit
tany, where women smoke pipes and cigar
cites, they suffer from cancer of the lips as
often as the men.
Cancer of the larynx or windpipe is one
of the rarer forms of the malady. How
ever, during twenty years, from 1866 to
1886, the larynx has been extirpated for
cancer about seventy-tive times. 1t has
been done three or four times during
the present year in this country. About
two-thirds of the cases succumb to the
operation, while of those who recover large
proportion die from a recurrence of the
disease.
Cancer curers are found everywhere
Wanting special caustics, warranted to re-
move the cancer with certainty and without
danger. Most of these caustlcS contain a
large proportion of arsenic. and if not used
with great care may cause grave symptoms
of poisoning. In several cases death has re-
suited from absorption of the poison. All of
these applications are more or less painful,
and much slower in action than the judici-
GUS use of the knife, hot iron, electric caut-
cry, or electrolysis.
A temporizing policy is bad one to adopt
be treated energetically or be let alone. In
spite of the bad results following operations
upon the larynx or stomach, the prospects
of permanent cure when other organs are
attacked are much more favorable. Recent
statistics of cancer of the breast show that
about one case in ten is permanently cured
by operation. Even when it recurs it is apt
to be milder and less painful, and life is at
all events prolonged. The most favorable
results are shown by operations upon the lip,
of which over one-half remain well after
thorough extirpation.
The fact that cancer is at first local dis
ease and durable by operation, if taken in
time, is becoming more generally known,
and people no longer look upon it with the
dread which it formerly inspired. The ear
lier the aid of the surgeon is sought the more
favorable the prospect of thorough re-
moval of the growth and of a permanent
cure. No medicine is known which will ar
rest the disease.
Unequalled--Dr. Sage's Catarrh Remedy.